The Embryonic Period :

Third to Eighth Week

 Organogenesis

• Also known as the embryonic period

• Occurs from the third to the eighth weeks of development

• It is the time when each of the three germ layers, ectoderm,

mesoderm, and endoderm gives rise to a number of specific tissues
and organs
Derivatives of the Ectodermal
germ layer
Derivatives of the Ectodermal
germ layer
• At the beginning of the third week of
development, the ectodermal germ layer has
the shape of a disc that is broader in the
cephalic than the caudal region.

• Formation of the neural plate.

• Cells of the plate make up the neuroectoderm

and their induction represents the initial event
in the process of neurulation.
 Neurulation
• Slipper-shaped neural plate gradually expands toward the primitive streak.
• Formation of the neural folds
• Formation of the neural groove
• Neural tube
• Neural crest cells
• Until fusion is complete, the cephalic and caudal ends of the neural tube communicate
with the amniotic cavity by way of the cranial and caudal neuropores, respectively
• Closure of the cranial neuropore occurs at approximately day 25 (18- to 20-somite stage),
whereas the posterior neuropore closes at day 27
 Neurulation

• Neurulation is then complete, and the central nervous system is represented

by a closed tubular structure with a narrow caudal portion, the spinal cord,
and a much broader cephalic portion characterized by a number of dilations,
the brain vesicles

• (Mesoderm refers to cells derived from the epiblast and extraembryonic

tissues. Mesenchyme refers to loosely organized embryonic connective
tissue regardless of origin.)
 Neural crest cells
• Neural crest cells migrate through:-
• 1) a dorsal pathway through the dermis, where they will enter the ectoderm
through holes in the basal lamina to form melanocytes in the skin and hair
follicles; and
• 2) a ventral pathway through the anterior half of each somite to become
sensory ganglia, sympathetic and enteric neurons, Schwann cells, and cells
of the adrenal medulla
• Craniofacial skeleton as well as neurons for cranial ganglia, glial cells,
melanocytes
• Otic placodes and the lens placodes
 Neural Crest Derivatives
• Connective tissue and bones of the face and skull
• Cranial nerve ganglia
• C cells of the thyroid gland
• Conotruncal septum in the heart
• Odontoblasts
• Dermis in face and neck
• Spinal (dorsal root) ganglia
• Sympathetic chain and preaortic ganglia
• Parasympathetic ganglia of the gastrointestinal tract
• Adrenal medulla
• Schwann cells
• Glial cells
• Arachnoid and pia mater (leptomeninges)
• Melanocytes
Neural Tube Defects
Most defects of the spinal cord result from abnormal closure of
the neural folds in the third and fourth weeks of development.
The resulting abnormalities, neural tube defects (NTDs), may
involve the meninges, vertebrae, muscles,
and skin.

Spina bifida; divided into

1) Spina bifida occulta
2) Spina bifida cystica
 Summary of Ectodermal germ layer

• In general terms, the ectodermal germ layer gives rise to organs and
structures that maintain contact with the outside world: (a) the central
nervous system; (b) the peripheral nervous system; (c) the sensory
epithelium of the ear, nose, and eye; and (d) the epidermis, including the
hair and nails.

• In addition, it gives rise to subcutaneous glands, the mammary glands, the

pituitary gland, and enamel of the teeth.
 Derivatives of the
Mesodermal germ layer
 Derivatives of the Mesodermal germ layer
• Initially, cells of the mesodermal germ layer form a thin sheet of loosely
woven tissue on each side of the midline
• cells close to the midline proliferate and form a thickened plate of tissue
known as paraxial mesoderm
• More laterally, the mesoderm layer remains thin and is known as the lateral
plate
• (a) a layer continuous with mesoderm covering the amnion, known as the somatic
or parietal mesoderm layer
• (b) a layer continuous with mesoderm covering the yolk sac, known as the
splanchnic or visceral mesoderm layer
• Intermediate mesoderm connects paraxial and lateral plate mesoderm
 Paraxial mesoderm
• Paraxial mesoderm is organized into segments.

• These segments, known as somitomeres, first appear in the cephalic region of the
embryo, and their formation proceeds cephalocaudally.
• From the occipital region caudally, somitomeres further organize into somites
• The first pair of somites arises in the occipital region of the embryo at approximately
the 20th day of development
• New somites appear in craniocaudal sequence at a rate of approximately three pairs
per day until, at the end of the fifth week, 42 to 44 pairs are present.
• There are 4 occipital, 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 8 to 10 coccygeal
pairs
Paraxial mesoderm

• The first occipital and the last five to

seven coccygeal somites later
disappear, while the remaining
somites form the axial skeleton

• During this period of development,

the age of the embryo is expressed
in number of somites.
 Paraxial Mesoderm
• By the beginning of the fourth week, cells forming the ventral and
medial walls of the somite lose their compact organization, become
polymorphous, and shift their position to surround the notochord
• These cells, collectively known as the sclerotome, form a loosely
woven tissue, the mesenchyme
• They will surround the spinal cord and notochord to form the
vertebral column.
• Cells at the dorsolateral portion of the somite also migrate as
precursors of the limb and body wall musculature
 Paraxial Mesoderm
• After migration of these muscle cells and cells of the sclerotome, cells
at the dorsomedial portion of the somite proliferate and migrate
down the ventral side of the remaining dorsal epithelium of the
somite to form a new layer, the myotome
• The remaining dorsal epithelium forms the dermatome, and together
these layers constitute the dermomyotome
• Dermatomes disperse to form the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of
the skin
• Dermatome retains its innervation from its segment of origin, no
matter where the cells migrate
 Paraxial Mesoderm

• Each somite forms its own sclerotome (the cartilage and bone
component), its own myotome (providing the segmental muscle
component), and its own dermatome, the segmental skin
component. .
 Intermediate Mesoderm

• Intermediate mesoderm, which temporarily connects paraxial mesoderm with

the lateral plate differentiates into urogenital structures.

• In cervical and upper thoracic regions, it forms segmental cell clusters (future
nephrotomes), whereas more caudally, it forms an unsegmented mass of
tissue, the nephrogenic cord.

• Excretory units of the urinary system and the gonads develop from this partly
segmented, partly unsegmented intermediate mesoderm
 Lateral plate Mesoderm
• Lateral plate mesoderm splits into parietal and visceral layers, which line the
intraembryonic cavity and surround the organs, respectively.
• Mesoderm from the parietal layer, together with overlying ectoderm, will
form the lateral and ventral body wall.
• The visceral layer and embryonic endoderm will form the wall of the gut
• Mesoderm cells of the parietal layer surrounding the intraembryonic cavity
will form thin membranes, the mesothelial membranes, or serous
membranes, which will line the peritoneal, pleural, and pericardial cavities
and secrete serous fluid.
• Mesoderm cells of the visceral layer will form a thin serous membrane around
each organ
 Blood and Blood Vessels
• Blood vessels form in two ways: vasculogenesis, whereby vessels
arise from blood islands and angiogenesis, which entails sprouting
from existing vessels.
• The first blood islands appear in mesoderm surrounding the wall of
the yolk sac at 3 weeks of development and slightly later in lateral
plate mesoderm and other regions.
• Formation of hemangioblasts, a common precursor for vessel and
blood cell formation. Hemangioblasts in the center of blood islands
form hematopoietic stem cells
 Blood and Blood Vessels
• Peripheral hemangioblasts differentiate into angioblasts, the precursors
to blood vessels.
• These angioblasts proliferate and are eventually induced to form
endothelial cells.
• The definitive hematopoietic stem cells arise from mesoderm surrounding
the aorta in a site called the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region (AGM).
• These cells will colonize the liver, which becomes the major
hematopoietic organ of the fetus.
• Later, stem cells from the liver will colonize the bone marrow, the
definitive blood-forming tissue
 Derivatives of the
endodermal germ layer
 Derivatives of the endodermal germ layer
• The gastrointestinal tract is the main organ system derived from the
endodermal germ layer.
• The anterior part, the endoderm forms the foregut; in the tail region,
it forms the hindgut.
• The part between foregut and hindgut is the midgut. The midgut
temporarily communicates with the yolk sac by way of a broad stalk,
the vitelline duct
Derivatives of the Endodermal Germ Layer

• Endodermal germ layer initially forms the epithelial lining of the primitive gut
and the intraembryonic portions of the allantois and vitelline duct

• During further development, it gives rise to (a) the epithelial lining of the
respiratory tract; (b) the parenchyma of the thyroid, parathyroids, liver, and
pancreas (c) the reticular stroma of the tonsils and thymus; (d) the epithelial
lining of the urinary bladder and urethra and (e) the epithelial lining of the
tympanic cavity and auditory tube
Derivatives of the Endodermal Germ Layer